Media News

Mobile Marketing Uptake Slow But Sure

06 Jul 2012

According to a new survey conducted reflecting the attitudes of business leaders in regards to mobile marketing adoption, budgets, techniques, challenges, benefits and integration with other channels, only 45 per cent of businesses are conducting some form of mobile marketing, with mobile websites, mobile applications and QR codes the most popular forms of mobile marketing, but less than half of marketers are currently running any of them. Of those who are, 57 per cent have been running them for only a year or less.

Nearly half of businesses conducting mobile marketing have achieved a basic level of integration between their email and mobile programs, with top areas of focus being mobile landing pages (32 per cent), mobile number capture at email sign-up (25 per cent) and mobile optimised email templates (22 per cent). More sophisticated tactics like leveraging mobile response data to optimise offers in email or other channels are only used by 29 per cent of businesses engaged in mobile marketing.

The mobile marketing opportunity is not lost with marketers, as 75 per cent of businesses not currently running programs plan to within a year or more, and of those businesses that are, 70 per cent expect to see their budgets increase over the same time period.

When asked to identify the top obstacle to launching a mobile program, 37 per cent of businesses cited lack of strategy, followed lack of resources at 22 per cent. Mobile marketing budgets also remain a small fraction of overall interactive budgets, with 54 per cent of businesses allocating 5 per cent or less to mobile programs. Nearly a quarter of businesses reported less than 1 per cent allocated to mobile. On the positive side, 55 per cent report increased budgets over the past year.

The survey found that 55 per cent of respondents had increased their mobile budget over the past year, and 70 per cent planned to increase it in the coming year. Only 1 per cent of respondents said they planned to decrease their mobile ad budget over the next 12 months.

And, of interest in serving these companies, the department most responsible is that responsible for online and interactive marketing.

Survey Highlights Summary:

• 45 per cent have adopted mobile marketing; 57 per cent have been doing it for 12 months or less• 37 per cent cite lack of strategy as top reason for lack of adoption, followed by lack of resources (22 per cent)• 55 per cent reported increased mobile marketing budgets for past 12 months; only 2 per cent saw a decrease• 70 per cent expect their budget to increase in the next 12 months• 43 per cent have integrated email marketing and mobile marketing